Heart Murmur

Yesterday I took my clan to the vet for their annual visit. Everyone came out fine except for my big boy Solo. He's three years old medium hair tabby. The vet said she could hear a heart murmur when his heart was racing (he gets really scared at the vet) but as it slowed down she couldn't hear it any more. She wants me to bring him back every six months to monitor it & she didn't seem too worried about it. I didn't know he could get one at this age. I thought it was elderly cats or cats who've had it since being a kitten, but no one heard it before. I'm really worried now. He's a very nervous cat & I'm afraid he'll have a heart attack or something. He doesn't show any signs outwardly but I just don't know much about this & that scares me. Anyone know about heart murmurs & could share some experience with me.

Thanks,
Destiny

Hi Destiny,

Sometimes a cat is born with a heart mumur but it isn't picked up until they are older. Murmurs come in different degrees, from very mild to life threatening. It sounds like Solo's murmur may be mild, and that's why the vet isn't too concerned. I have a cat with a murmur and she doesn't act differently compared to my other cats.

Our 20 year old cat has a murmur. Grade 3 I believe. They are graded 1-5 with 5 being the worst. She was diagnosed with it at age 14, so it hasn't had any real impact or shortened her life at all. If the Vet isn't too concerned it's probably not going to have a significant impact on Solo.

Jeff

Murmurs are graded for intensity. The scale used is a six point grading system. (Youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll most commonly see Roman Numerals used in grading murmurs—such as I/VI for a grade 1 murmur, II/VI for a Grade 2, etc.)

Grade I - A very soft murmur only detected after very careful listening. Grade II - A soft murmur that is readily heard, but faint. Grade III - A moderately loud murmur without a palpable vibration. Grade IV - A loud murmur without a palpable vibration or one that is intermittent. Grade V - A loud murmur with a palpable vibration. Although loud with a stethoscope, the murmur cannot be heard when the stethoscope is lifted from the chest. Grade VI - A loud murmur with a palpable vibration. It can be heard even when the stethoscope is lifted slightly from the chest.

From www.curiousheart.com

Thanks everyone! That makes me feel better. He's a sweety. He's huge (like a Maine coon size) but thinks he's a little kitten. He's never had any health problems before. He's just very shy & nervous, I rescued him from a feral mom after I had her spayed. I worry because he was the only one of 8 kittens that she had that I ever saw again I don't know for sure what happend to the rest someone may have picked them up but I always thought they may have been killed by my previous neighbor so I'm very protective of him. Now I worry that his littermates may have had health problems and died.

But Solo is a big strong boy and seems to feel good so I guess that's what really matters. But I will definitely be going to all of our checkups!

Thanks for the replies!
Destiny

I stand corrected. It is a 1-6 scale. Thanks Kumbulu

(I cheated and called my oldest Daughter. She's a Vet in Utah.)

Cats and dogs...like people...get heart murmurs. Most of the time it's not a concern. If the Vet isn't concerned, it should all be fine. Good Luck

Jeff